


Chlorine Tears

by doridoripawaa



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angst, Childhood Friends, F/F, How Do I Tag, LLSS, YouChika, chikayou, love live sunshine - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 07:12:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13806117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doridoripawaa/pseuds/doridoripawaa
Summary: It's hard to live life going full steam ahead when you're running out of steam. ChikaYou one-shot!





	Chlorine Tears

Spring marked new beginnings.  
What a pity that it necessarily had to mark endings as well.  
  
"I'm not going to cry."  
How many times did You whisper these words to herself during that first week of her senior year? Repetition would be the best method to ingrain them in her mind, but even more importantly, she needed to etch them into her heart.  
  
In all honesty, she struggled to name many occasions when she had actually shed tears. Of course she would get upset if she failed a test, received an injury, or watched a tragic film, but as far as true tears were concerned, they rarely fell.   
  
You liked to think of herself as a positive person who didn't sweat the small stuff. Maybe that was just part of her nature. Maybe it was partially due to her upbringing. When she was really young, her heart would always tremble when her father prepared to go out to sea. Watching him depart was never easy on her or her mother. _"Take me with you!"_ You would exclaim, biting her lip to stop it from quivering. _"I want to sail with Papa! I want to sail!"_  
  
He would kneel before her with a chuckle and shake his head. _"You need to be the captain of the house,"_ he would tell her. _"When you're a big girl, you can be the captain of the sea."_ Then he would wipe away the stray tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes. _"Be strong for your mama, You-chan. Keep pushing on and going full steam ahead!"_  
  
However, the first day really tested her resolve. When her eyes first flickered over the class list, they glittered like the wide blue sky, reflecting hope and endless possibilities. As she finally located the names she was searching for, they slowly darkened to mirror the sad stormy seas.  
  
"Aww, none of us are in the same class!" Chika wailed. You had been so absorbed in her own scan that she hadn't even noticed the perky ginger-haired girl pop up beside her. "I guess we should have expected that, since this is such a big school, but..."  
  
But it still hurt. She could hear it in Chika's voice; the disappointed, disheartened tone was easy to find when she could feel it as a lump in her own throat. You and Chika had been practically inseparable since childhood, and they had always taken that for granted.  
  
"We'll still have the bus rides to and from school," Riko chimed in from You's other side. She was clearly trying to brighten the mood. "Not to mention that we can spend time together before and after class for activities, and _someone_ has to motivate you two to do your homework," she added with a sly little smile.  
  
"That's right!" You agreed, nodding with determination. "You already know I'll come charging into your classrooms during lunch time, too. I'll come charging inside, full steam ahead!" With a bright grin on her face, she turned to Chika. "So cheer up, Chika-chan!" Tenderly she reached out and grabbed her friend's cheeks, pulling them upwards in a smile. "You look way too cute in that uniform to walk around with a frown on your face!"  
  
"Ahhh, You-chan! I get it, I get it!" Chika laughed as she pulled the brunette's hands away. "You're both totally right! We'll see each other later, okay?"  
  
Riko nodded in agreement, and You lifted her hand in a salute. "Of course!" Seeing the two of them in such bright spirits helped encourage her, too. She knew all too well how easily Chika's mood could be affected by setbacks, as well as her tendency to try to keep her feelings bottled up. She and Riko would ensure that Chika didn't let herself slip into her anxious or harmful tendencies if either of them could help it! 'I have to be strong for their sakes, too!'  
  
"That's our You-chan," Chika said with a giggle. "You always know how to make me smile! Aye aye, captain!"  
  
For the time being, she could swallow her own sorrows and let them sink out of sight and out of mind. 

* * *

  
  
"So that's how we found the first puppy, but the other was still hiding," Chika went on, portrating in vivid detail the recent misadventures of Shiitake's family. Riko looked somewhat horrified, Hanamaru seemed amused, and Yoshiko was absolutely enraptured. The five of them were walking downhill towards the bus stop, going at a leisurely pace as they enjoyed each other's company. None of them seemed to realize just how precious their time planning, training, rehearsing, and performing together was, until it was over.   
  
"Perhaps these pups are really just the reincarnation of Cerberus," Yoshiko murmured in a low, deep voice. "The soul has been fragmented so the separate heads have been split apart into different bodies, but still sharing one entity--"  
  
Hanamaru was quick to cut her off. "There are only two puppies, Yoshiko-chan," she pointed out matter-of-factly. "Cerberus had three heads."  
  
"I'm including Shiitake, of course!" Yoshiko blubbered, her face turning red. "That's Yohane to you, too!"  
  
"Are you calling my dog a demon? Yohane-chan, what did Shiitake-chan ever do to you?" Chika wailed. Her tone sounded offended, but her eyes twinkled with mild amusement.  
  
"I'd believe it," Riko muttered under her breath. "That would explain a lot...."  
  
You barely stifled a laugh and elbowed Riko softly to let her know she had heard. Apparently Chika did, too, because now she had turned to the pianist to protest. "By the way, Hanamaru-chan," You began, "where's Ruby-chan?" Walking as a group of six was weird enough, but five felt so... unnatural. Empty.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, she saw a flyer for a sewing club and decided to check it out, zura!" A smile spread across the underclassman's face as she spoke. "I offered to go with her, but she insisted she could go by herself, zura! She's grown so much since we joined the school idol club." Warmth danced across her glowing face and pride lit up her eyes. They had all grown since then, but it was almost easy to lose sight of how far they had come. The reminders were... heartening.   
  
"Sewing club?" Chika echoed, apparently having rested her case against her dogs secretly being hellhounds. "You-chan, that sounds like something you'd really enjoy! Maybe you should check it out?"  
  
Leave it to Chika to think of her right away. "Maybe," she said, not wanting to commit to anything just yet. An idea popped into her head and she quickly added, "Would you want to come with me? I know you loved the school idol outfits!"  
  
Chika rapidly waved her hands in front of her face and shook her head, making her rejection of the offer clear as crystal. "Oh no, I loved seeing the outfits, but I was no good at designing! Plus you and Ruby were the best seamstresses by far. I'm super clumsy!"  
  
Hanamaru pitched in with a story of when she nearly fell down the stairs that they ran up and down every morning, quick to remind Chika that she wasn't the only klutz in the group. You chuckled as she listened, but even though she kept walking in time with the others and stayed with them physically, her mind wandered far away. Would she be able to find an activity that she could share with Chika again? Nothing would ever compare to the experience of being a school idol, but it didn't have to. She just wanted some time with her best friend. That was all she had ever wanted.  
  
Why was such a simple dream so difficult to achieve?

* * *

  
  
One by one, the group that walked to the bus stop together became smaller and smaller. Hanamaru began to assist as a pair of extra hands in the school library, Riko stayed late in the music room to practice piano, and Yoshiko was either in a scramble to get home and record her webcast or head to her part-time job.  
  
Every loss deepened the hole that had formed inside of You's chest. Aqours had become such an integral part of her life, and she loved them all so dearly. Of course she had wanted time to spend alone with Chika and to find a special something that they could share, but walking downhill from school wasn't exactly the heart-palpitating high school experience she had had in mind.  
  
"Hey You-chan, when does swimming start?" Chika asked as they trekked.  
  
"Once it gets a little warmer! Why?" Of course, You had been eagerly awaiting the day when she could return to the pool. Why was Chika suddenly so interested? "Did you want to come to practices?" Hadn't she tried that before? Maybe her experiences as a school idol had encouraged her to broaden her horizons and take another shot!  
  
"Oh no, I'm no good," Chika protested. "I always got so scared, remember? Hehe..." She sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I'd love to watch you, though!"  
  
While a nagging-- but rational-- voice in the back of her mind had whispered from the start that Chika had only asked out of innocent curiosity rather than her own ambition, nonetheless You felt her spirits drop. "Chika-chan, have you found a club you want to join?" she inquired gently, her tone laced with concern. "I'd try a dance club with you or something, or whatever you like! You can do anything you set your mind to!"  
  
The orange-haired girl seemed taken aback by the sudden passion emanating from her best friend. "I... I'm okay," she insisted. The fire didn't die from You's eyes, though, revealing she clearly wasn't convinced. "You-chan, is something bothering you?"  
  
You blinked and stepped back, allowing herself to calm down. "Me? Not at all," she responded. "I just... With everyone running off to jobs and activities, I was worried you might..." Her lip began to quiver and she immediately bit down on it, embarrassed that her body was reverting to such a childish method of trying to hold back her emotions. "Might feel like the normal monster again." She looked down awkwardly at her shoes. What would Chika think? Would she be upset that You thought she was so fragile?  
  
"Ahaha, is that what was bothering you?" You dared to glance upward, but to her surprise Chika wasn't looking at her as she spoke. She was staring straight ahead, off into the distance. "It's been hard, but I am trying to stay positive! I'm sorry for worrying you! I'm not the same Chika I was last year, or even last month." Slowly she turned her attention to You, and her expression was soft as she spoke. "That's our You-chan, always worrying about others. You're always so good to me, hehe. Thank you." Her brow suddenly furrowed and she leaned in a little closer. "Are you sure you're okay, though?" she repeated.  
  
"Of course!" You reiterated. "Knowing you're okay already has me feeling so much better!" Chika had never seemed too depressed in the first place, so why had she worried so much? Perhaps she felt a little lonely, but once swimming season rolled around again, she would find her groove and settle into this new school at long last.

* * *

  
  
On You's first day back in the pool, the water was a little saltier than usual.

* * *

  
  
"Oy, Chika-chan!" As soon as the final bell rang, You popped her head out of her classroom to wave her best friend over. "Wanna come to practice?"  
  
"Ahh, sorry You-chan! I have to help Mito-nee out today!" Chika bowed apologetically as she headed out the door, nearly toppling over under the weight of her backpack in her rush. "Next time!"

* * *

  
  
On You's second day back in the pool, she discovered that underwater was a safe place to cry.

* * *

  
  
"Ta-dah!"  
  
A loud thump rattled You's ears and a heavy bag rattled her desk. Her head perked up with a jolt as Chika dropped a bag of mikans in front of her and then pulled up a chair to face her.  
  
"Oh wow, these are so fresh!" You's eyes glittered excitedly. "By the way, is Riko-chan joining us today? I brought enough tea for all three of us today!"  
  
Chika shook her head sadly. "No, she's practicing right now. She has a recital coming up already! Isn't that crazy? I hope she isn't too nervous...."  
  
"Don't look so worried! We can stop by after school," You offered as she began to peel one of the mandarin oranges. Carefully she wedged a slice of fruit in between her lips, forcing a smile onto her face. Chika laughed and picked up a mikan for herself, eagerly peeling a smiling slice for herself.  
  
"That's our You-chan! Oh... I'm sorry I haven't popped by to watch you swim," Chika commented as she carefully plucked at the peel.  
  
"Oh, that's okay!" You tried to assure her. "It's still early. There will be plenty of more practices. Have you thought of a club to join?"  
  
When Chika shook her head, You stuffed another slice into her mouth to prop up the corners of her lips into a half-hearted smile.

* * *

  
  
Humming in the pool didn't have nearly the same effect as singing out in the open air, but You was thoroughly convinced that it helped fill the gap inside her just a little bit.  
  
Maybe that was just the water she had inhaled, though.

* * *

  
  
"Look at this video Leah-chan sent me!" The six girls were gathered around a large desk in one of the second year classrooms before schol. Ruby whipped around her laptop to show off the footage of Leah and another two girls singing and dancing to an eclectic beat. "It's a little more poppy than Saint Snow, but I like it! I'm glad they found their own style as a new group!"  
  
As the other girls gushed excitedly about the video, commented on the choreography, and asked Ruby for Leah's contact information, You could barely pick up on Chika's wistful sigh.  
  
"Do you miss it?" the sea-loving girl whispered as she inched her chair closer to her childhood friend. "I'm sure there's a choir club if you want to take up singing again. I would check it out with you," she offered. Maybe this would put some more pep in both of their steps.  
  
"Oh? I'm okay, really!" Chika waved her hands dismissively. "I just can't help but wonder how Sarah-san is doing! I haven't talked to her since Love Live. Really, You-chan, I'm good!" she insisted when the blue-eyed girl began to scowl. "Do _you_ want to get back to singing?"  
  
You opened her mouth to deny Chika's claim, but despite herself her lip began to quiver and she couldn't risk forcing any words out. Instead, she just shrugged and shook her head. She was just worried about Chika, right? Chika was the one who she always had to encourage to persevere, right?  
  
Going full steam ahead was hard when you were running out of steam. 

* * *

 

You didn't go to the pool that afternoon.

 

* * *

"You-chan! You-chan!"  
  
You stumbled out onto the rooftop in a daze, panting as she tried to recover her breath after running up so many steps to reach it.  
  
"I'm so happy you're here!"  
  
The brunette raised her head slowly, and when she finally lifted her eyes from the spinning ground, she saw a warm, eager hand reaching out for her. The flash of orange on her wrist seemed to glow in the sunlight, and You reached for it like a lifeline. "What is this... about?"  
  
With a big huff, Chika helped pull You into a fully erect standing position. "I went to watch you at swim practice yesterday, and you weren't there!" she explained. Her voice was shaking and almost sounded frantic. "So I figured something was wrong. You'd never miss a chance to be in the water. You-chan... something _is_ bothering you!" she wailed. Her grip on her friend's hand tightened, turning into a stiff, sweaty vice. "You can tell me anything, right?"  
  
You allowed her hand to go limp, hoping that would prompt Chika to let go, but her strong hold didn't slacken. "I... I never thought I would find something I love as much as swimming and diving. But I love Aqours... I love dancing, singing, designing, dreaming..." Her eyes began to sting fiercely with a salty heat. Part of her wanted to stop here before she got carried away, but once the dam sprung a leak, she couldn't figure out how to patch it. "I love... seeing my friends so happy... I missed it. I missed you guys. We all were drifting so far apart... even the two of us..." Her cheeks began to grow ablaze as the dam burst open and she spit out words before she could even process what she was thinking and saying. "I didn't want you to worry... I didn't want to see you cry again."  
  
"You-chan," Chika breathed. "I... I feel thr same way. I miss those days so much, but I've been okay. I really have. This whole time, though, you've been so lonely." She delicately reached forward to cradle You's other hand. "You don't have to worry about losing me. We're going to continue onward together until we're old ladies, right?" Those words made You crack a smile, and Chika squeezed her hands gleefully. "That's our You-chan!"  
  
A wave of guilt flooded You's big blue eyes, and she tried to pull away once again. Chika didn't budge. "Your You-chan doesn't cry so easily," she muttered, shuffling uncomfortably from foot to foot.  
  
"Are you crying? Oh my gosh!" Chika dropped You's hand and hastily reached up to wipe away the tears brimming her friend's eyes. "Hold on!" Rummaging rapidly through her bag, she let out an excited yelp as she plucked out a mikan. She scrambled to peel it while You wiped away at her own eyes, and without warning, she popped a slice into her best friend's mouth. "You can't frown while eating one of these," she declared confidently with a chuckle before sucking on a slice herself.  
  
They stood there in silence for a moment, allowing the sweet, tangy orange slices to lighten up the atmosphere. "While we're up here together," Chika murmured at last, "and we know we understand each other... Do you want to be school idols again? Just for a moment?" You gazed up at her and blinked in confusion. Without wasting time on an explanation, Chika opened her mouth and began to sing. _"Let our feelings become one,"_ she began. _"This is the moment we’ve been waiting for."_  
  
Immediately You picked up on the next verse. After talking about their concerns, their feelings really had become one. This was a song for all of Aqours, of course, but it was also particularly important to You because it reflected the last time she had hit an obstacle in her friendship with Chika. This was their song. They were the centers. This was the song that reinforced their bond and embraced them for who they were as individuals, but also celebrated their shared feelings. _"No matter where we may be, we believe in the same tomorrow."_  
  
Both girls were surprised when tears began to pour forth from You's eyes. "Oh no, did I make you upset?" Chika dropped singing and grabbed onto her friend's hands again.   
  
You sniffled and shook her head, giggling softly. "No. I'm happy. I'm so happy." This was something that the two of them could do together. "I love this song. I love Aqours. I love..." She hesitated.   
  
Chika pulled her in for a hug before she could finish her sentence. "You don't have to explain! You can just cry. You-chan, it's your turn to cry."  
  
And she did.  
  
"I love you, Chika-chan,” she wept into the tender, but sturdy, shoulder that cradled her chin and captured her tears. “I love you so much."  
  
Chika patted You's head and shushed her softly. _"Let our feelings become one,"_ she hummed.  
  
"Into the future?" You tilted her head back so she could look Chika in the eyes. "Until the last mikan falls from the last mikan tree?"  
  
Chika rested her lips on the crown of You's head. "Full steam ahead."

**Author's Note:**

> This was for the Love Live Secret Admirer 2018 project on tumblr! Angsty prompts are a little bit outside of my comfort zone, but I was excited to test my creativity and expand my horizons! I hope you all enjoy <3


End file.
